The government, particularly External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, has come under fire for asserting that United States’ surveillance activities did not amount to “snooping” and it was “only computer analysis of patterns of calls and e-mails sent.”

From the left and the right of the political spectrum, from supporters of a “special” India-U.S. relationship to its critics, there was an almost unanimous view that the government had gone too far to “appease the U.S.”

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad told The Hindu that the Government of India must “come clean” and share all available facts with the rest of the political parties. “Any surveillance of Indian systems is uncalled for. The BJP is for good relations with U.S., but our sovereignty and self-respect is non-negotiable.” Mr. Prasad rejected the distinction between surveillance and snooping as fiction, and pointed to the “palpable disconnect between different ministers.”

Terming U.S. actions “cyber-driven invasion of sovereignty,” CPM Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat told The Hindu: “This is a craven statement of a craven minister of a craven government. Even the allies are objecting, but this government is justifying what is a clearly illegal act, in violation of U.N. conventions.”

Even UPA allies seemed a bit uneasy with the current approach, though they refrained from offering outright criticism. D.P. Tripathi of the Nationalist Congress Party said, “The government should take this up at a diplomatic level. It must also create a strategy against any possible cyber surveillance. This has not been done yet.”

In a statement, the Aam Aadmi Party said Mr. Khurshid’s statement showed the government’s “subservience to the U.S. and its contempt and disregard for civil liberties and citizen’s rights to privacy.” It rejected the contention that the surveillance had helped prevent terror attacks.

Strategic affairs expert Commodore (retd.) C. Uday Bhaskar, a supporter of strong India-U.S. ties, pointed to the “clear disconnect between the Minister and the Ministry.” The MEA spokesperson has expressed dismay and concern when initial reports of U.S. surveillance had emerged. “This government is in dire need of strategic communication within South Block.”

Turning to the substantive aspect, Commodore Bhaskar said, “Keeping tabs on embassies is par for the course, but what is new is the degree of American intrusion because of their qualitatively advanced technological capabilities.” He said there was little doubt the government was “playing it down,” in an effort to “accommodate the U.S.”

Pushpesh Pant, a retired professor of international diplomacy at Jawaharlal Nehru University, was more scathing. “Mr. Khurshid is being much more economical than truth than is acceptable in a democracy, and crawling when asked to bend. The simple fact is the surveillance was unauthorised and thus illegal.” Such surveillance gave the Americans an “unfair advantage” in bilateral negotiations between allies, he said.

“Look at the double standards,” Mr. Pant added. “The U.S. wants to apply international law when it comes to extradition of Snowden, and violates provisions of customary as well as international treaty law when it comes to state sovereignty.”

Civil liberties activist Nandita Haksar said that at a time when the rest of the world, including European Union, was taking U.S. to task, India was standing up for it. “As an Indian, it makes me very sad that a trained lawyer who is our foreign minister and would understand issues has taken such a stand.”

She also flagged the silence of the Indian intelligentsia and civil liberties groups. “Are we even aware of the consequences of being subject to such surveillance? If this has helped stop terrorist attacks, the government must tell is how many and which ones. This is an issue of privacy, sovereignty, human rights,” she said.

It disgusts me so much as an Indian and insults my self respect and sense of nationality I wouldn't even like to comment!

from:
tarun khanna

Posted on: Jul 4, 2013 at 23:48 IST

Khurshid is stooping to such a low level on the snooping of US NIA, that he is unfit to protect the interests of India as its FM and should be sacked forthwith. But if he is reflecting the ever accommodating PM of India who keeps his resignation in his pocket wherever American interests are involved like in the case of Nuclear deal or Walmart issues, then God only can save this country. Even the allies of US like EU and other Nato partners are crying hoarse against it, Khurshid is bending on his knees.

from:
MvjRao

Posted on: Jul 4, 2013 at 12:54 IST

The statement of External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid is not unexpected. Every statement of the Minister can be aptly designated as 'His Master's Voice'.

from:
Gautam Singh

Posted on: Jul 4, 2013 at 10:32 IST

Well, if India asks US why it is snooping on India, the US will asks back why India is snooping on US! I think people have forgotten that India was some years ago caught red-handed snooping on US and China communications.

During the Kargil war India produced the audio of the telephone conversation between Musharraf, who was in China, and his commanders in Pakistan. How did that come about?

So, lets get real and not blow the trumpet without understanding the complete situation.

from:
Ponga Pundit

Posted on: Jul 3, 2013 at 21:55 IST

Does it not look like a strange case of " too much ( in defending the indefensible) too soon?

from:
Shekar

Posted on: Jul 3, 2013 at 21:52 IST

We are a strange nation with a queer leadership and an enigmatic populace. India was totally against the US in the pre Gorbachev era and protested against the US for everything they did and the US supported Pakistan on all fronts. Today, the tables are turned. India has become a veritable sycophant while the US has been wooing India in all possible ways. Both have left the high moral ground and are scratching each other's back. All the world is a stage.